I remember newspapers in general writing about the death of the National Hockey League or of some very important web-based companies. In fact, it is the newspaper industry that has been in a slow and painful downward spiral while major Web 2.0 companies and the NHL are growing and healthy.
Here is the last article that I will post on the news print industry. I will do my next post on a ten point plan to offer some value to help these publications and companies grow and to take advantage of Web 2.0 methodologies. I love my newspaper. I read it online every day even though I remain a subscriber. We need these organizations to remain viable and important.
Newspaper? Dying? Nooo…
thats why I had to make my own major at specializing in reporting for the web.
Hope those same critics like taking HTML and web classes while I take their job and rave about the capitals.
Ted,
I am a longtime Caps fan, former season ticket holder now living in China. Caps for breakfast now!
Am connected to newspapers increasingly online. Travelers face the same situation. This is about brands and bonding. I love to HEAR the voices – Wilbon and Kornheiser for example. Podcasts are great, but they are part of a big production effort or just the audio feed of a show. Simple audio is cheap. And you can email people when there is something new (ie more Ads). While video is great, it is often impractical from many locations. Audio files of columnists either reading their work or just talking is sometimes more emtionally connecting than print. And you can listen in the background, easily store, send to friends. Most radio online doesn’t let you archive much. Offer a total package (all you can eat) of online special services with the print edition thrown in (and with easy ways to turn on/off the physical delivery!).
ps I was in Nanjing on the 70th anniversary with my Chinese partners who are 2 generations Nanjing. My former DC business partner Peter Tanous is GU and heard you talk about the movie. Very moving.
I would love to meet you sometime.
Will be in DC in April and hope to catch some games.
Need to get an Ovi jersey since Red and “8″ mean “Fortune” and “Success” in China.
Best wishes,
Peter Forbes
peterforbes@zfbchina.com
That’s great, I really look forward to reading your insights and plan to help the newspaper industry. I hope it will get some visibility within the industry as you’ve lived the type of turnaround that these business need to undertake.
Having worked on the front lines of newspapers and newspaper websites with mounting frustrations in both areas, I look forward to your 10 suggestions. Make ‘em count.